Nike is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Air Jordan 1. Banned shoes and placing big black blocks on the Air Jordan 9 sneakers on Michael Jordan‘s statue outside the United Center, the brand fittingly went above and beyond to promote the new edition released in its honor. The all new Air Jordan 1 High ’85 ‘Bred’ features the same black and red colorway as the name suggests. This clearly shows fans’ and the brand’s affinity for the iconic red and black colorway.

Before this latest eye-catching edition, the brand had reintroduced the colorway in several other kicks of which a few saw decent success while others turned out to be a bit hit. One such is the Air Jordan 1.5 which was released in 2015. 

Air Jordan 1.5 

The breathtaking design of this edition features a 2.0 sole while the rest of it was kept similar to the original Air Jordan 1. The old and stylish Nike logo appears on the side while the Nike Air can be seen on the tongue that leans to give a retro vibe to the shoes.

Certainly, the hype of Jordan’s shoes that were banned in 1985 had a lot to contribute to the popularity. Another is the Air Jordan 1 Mid Shoe. These kicks were inspired by the Air Jordans 1. It follows a similar design with fresh materials such as the Air-Sole unit that provides lightweight cushioning. There are more fascinating new designs which feature the same colorway!

Air Jordan 1 High Banned and Air Jordan 1 Alpha

The Air Jordan 1 “Banned” flaunts a bold Chicago Bulls-inspired colorway of black and Varsity Red. It was initially released in 2009. However, these shoes couldn’t keep up in the competition.

But a trend began in 2011. The shoes stood out because it featured the original “Nike Air” label on the tongue and a “X” on each heel, and special insoles reading, “On October 18th, 1985, They Were Thrown Out Of The Game.” The story of NBA Jordan’s banned shoes in 1985  gained huge popularity. And so did the shoes that had the same colors.

Crafted from high-quality leather, unique packaging, the Banned 1s were also notably sold as “B-Grade” at Nike Outlets. However, the B which many thought to be representing “banned” added to its popularity. Another highlight release by the brand was the Air Jordan 1 Alpha released in 2010. It resembles the original AJ 1 the most. 

Air Jordan 1 High Flyknit  and the Air Jordan 1 High Patent 

This uniquely designed shoe, Air Jordan 1 High Flyknit was released in 2017. Featuring the same black, varsity red and white colorway, these shoes had the year 1985 embellished on the tongue tag. 

Featuring a black and red upper made from Flyknit material, the shoes provided more support and comfort. The leather details on the shoe and the Flyknit technology on top of the colorway made it more enticing to the people. 

And now comes the shiny star of the editions seen so far. The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG features a shiny patent leather design in black and red. The incredible design features the signature Wings and Swoosh logos. Another element is the word “Family” stitched on the lining, which rests atop the white midsole and red rubber outsole.

The front lace-up fastening, logo patch on the tongue, ankle-length design, branded insole, and a rubber sole does make it interesting. Released in 2021, it beautifully features the same bold colorway. Another one iconic release is the Air Jordan 1 High PRM 3M CAMO which was released in 2017 and the Air Jordan PHAT Low  in 2008. 

Serena Williams Court Flare AJ1 and Lance Mountain X Air Jordan 1 High

Remember the stunning Flare AJ1 that the tennis legend Serena Williams flaunted? The tennis line of the brand, NikeCourt and Jordan Brand celebrated Williams’ 23rd major title with two exclusive NikeCourt Flare colorways. One had the same iconic “Banned” Air Jordan 1 colors. The other version however had the tennis legend’s favorite colors, black and pink, drawing inspiration from Serena’s 2016 U.S. Open outfit.

Another jaw dropping edition is the second collaboration between Nike’s skateboarding and Air Jordan featuring skate legend Lance Mountain. Known for his influence in the late ’80s, Mountain famously wore mismatched Air Jordan 1s, customized with paint markers and multi-colored laces. Almost after two decades, the Air Jordan 1 is reimagined with black leather with upper flaunting red and blue accents. 

Air Jordan 1 MID TD (2019), Air Jordan 1 Low Elevate (2023), Air Jordan 1 High Strap (2008), Air Jordan 1 Low golf Mule (2025), Air Jordan 1 High Satin (2016), Air Jordan 1 High Ko (2015), Air Jordan 1 MID “Black + Red” (2022), and Air Jordan 1 Low OG (BIG SWOOSH) are the other releases that releases. The new edition which is reportedly limited to 1000 pieces is all set to be released on February, 14, 2025.